Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed the nation’s first statewide ban on single-use plastic bags – SB 270 – aligning state law with ordinances passed by a growing number of local governments in California to reduce plastic waste.
While proponents say the new law will aid the economy and the environment, it is already facing the possibility of a referendum from an industry group.
The legislation, authored by Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima), prohibits grocery stores and pharmacies from distributing single-use plastic bags after July 2015 and enacts the same ban for convenience stores and liquor stores the following year.
The bill also will provide up to $2 million in competitive loans – administered by CalRecycle – to businesses transitioning to the manufacture of reusable bags.
“This bill is a step in the right direction – it reduces the torrent of plastic polluting our beaches, parks and even the vast ocean itself,” said Gov. Brown. “We’re the first to ban these bags, and we won’t be the last.”
Thus far, more than 120 local governments in California have passed ordinances banning single-use bags in some fashion, with widespread support from community and environmental groups.
SB 270 is supported by many of these same groups, along with local governments, businesses and labor organizations.
“I applaud Gov. Brown for signing SB 270 into law. He continues to lead our state forward with a commitment to sustainability. A throw-away society is not sustainable. This new law will greatly reduce the flow of billions of single-use plastic bags that litter our communities and harm our environment each year. Moving from single-use plastic bags to reusable bags is common sense. Gov. Brown’s signature reflects our commitment to protect the environment and reduce government costs,” said Sen. Padilla.
Among the groups supporting the bill is the California Grocers Association.
“History was made today, and our environment and economy will be better for it,” said Ronald Fong, president and chief executive officer, California Grocers Association. “SB 270 will foster innovation, create operational consistency, California green jobs, and protect our precious natural resources. We are grateful to Sens. Padilla, de León and Lara for bravely standing up for California.”
Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins said the California coast is a national treasure that attracts visitors from around the globe.
“Removing the harmful blight of single-use plastic bags, especially along our coastline and waterways, helps ensure the kind of clean and healthy environment we need to have a stronger economy and a brighter future,” Atkins said.
Californians Against Waste Executive Director Mark Murray said that, for nearly 10 million Californians, life without plastic grocery bags already is a reality. “Bag bans reduce plastic pollution and waste, lower bag costs at grocery stores, and now we’re seeing job growth in California at facilities that produce better alternatives.”
Clean Seas Coalition and Seventh Generation Advisors director Leslie Tamminen said that data from the more than 127 local plastic bag bans has proven that bans are effective at reducing litter and changing consumer attitudes, and have refuted industry’s claims of apocalyptic impacts on jobs and poor communities. “A state plastic bag ban saves taxpayers the huge amount of money spent on litter cleanup, and protects the environment.”
Save the Bay Executive Director David Lewis called SB 270 “is a great victory for all of California.”
Lewis added, “We’ve seen locally that plastic bag bans lead to cleaner water and healthier wildlife, keeping trash off our beaches and out of our creeks. The success of bag bans in our local communities has empowered state legislators to make the right decision for the health of California’s waterways. Governor Brown’s signature of this statewide bag ban is an important moment for our state, demonstrating that California is once again willing to take the lead on important environmental issues.”
Opponents, however, called the ban harmful to the state's economy and environment.
The most direct challenge is coming from the American Progressive Bag Alliance, which represents the United States' plastic bag manufacturing and recycling sector.
“Sen. Padilla's bill was never legislation about the environment,” said the group's executive director, Lee Califf. “It was a back room deal between the grocers and union bosses to scam California consumers out of billions of dollars without providing any public benefit – all under the guise of environmentalism. If this law were allowed to go into effect it would jeopardize thousands of California manufacturing jobs, hurt the environment, and fleece consumers for billions so grocery store shareholders and their union partners can line their pockets.”
Califf said his organization has taken the necessary steps to gather signatures and qualify a referendum to repeal SB 270 on the November 2016 ballot.
“Since state lawmakers failed their constituents by approving this terrible bill, we will take the question directly to the public and have great faith they will repeal it at the ballot box. Ultimately the voters will decide and, until then, California families – including thousands of our industry's workers – will be protected from the implementation of this unprecedented scam,” said Califf.
For full text of the bill, visit http://leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html .